


Desensitization

by Ishileis27



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-23
Updated: 2015-05-06
Packaged: 2018-03-25 08:39:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3803977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ishileis27/pseuds/Ishileis27
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Expose yourself a lot with the cause of your agony and you will, later on, overcome it. [KisexOC]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Part I**

Kaede Hinowa is a normal teenage girl who has normal tastes and a normal lifestyle, and because she is that typical, like any mediocre girls, she fell in love with a popular guy who is loved by at least 85% of the girl's population in their school, that being said, she is perfectly aware of the fact that her chance to date or be even be recognized by this 'popular' boy is (1/ Total number of girls in school) × 0.85, mathematically speaking.

As she reminisces, there is one time, however, a one and only time that she was able to speak to said guy, that was in the freshmen opening ceremony, where she first laid eyes to Mr. Popular...

_'Whoa...Teiko Middle school...' Kaede thought, the school was quite appealing on its own, it has nice facilities for sports and acadaemics. 'Ohhh...certain club rooms are being announced, better get the numbers.' She rummaged her bag for her pencil and then adjusts her glasses before writing in the notepad._

_"Ahhh...Miss, do you have another pencil?" Kaede heard someone behind her talk, being a kind hearted girl, she fished out another pen and then passed it to the one in need, as soon as she glanced up, it was as if sparks flew, bubbles appeared out of nowhere as she stares at his honey colored eyes, his blonde hair and stunning smile. He politely gets the pen and said 'Thanks' then started scribbling, leaving her awestruck and forgetful of what she was supposed to do._

That was the time she's certain that she have started the inevitable infatuation for this blonde guy, she learned later on that his name was Kise Ryouta and he's a model, loved by every girl she have seen in campus. It was annoying, she was a fan too, but everytime she runs to his fan club, she gets thrown out like when there's a japanese lunch time rush. They were classmates, but she can't even get closer because when a free time comes, a flock of over decorated, revealing and wanton ladies gather around him.

That's why she knew there's no chance, no chance at all, however it got worst when he joined the basketball team, her fascination of him exceeds because she likes athletes, but of course if her infatuation excelled, his fans will also increase too, making it a lot more impossible to talk to him.

She's a fan of conventional sports so she's a member of the archery and kendo club and she's known to be good at both, its funny how she became better because she incorporated Kise in her every move, whenever she plays Kendo her vigor and hits increases when she thinks of her opponents as the girls of Kise fan club, sometimes because of that mentality, when she was first player in a kendo match she was able to win single handedly by thinking she was eliminating Kise fan club's annoying leaders, the same applies in archery.

But it was no use, still no contact, she was able to contain herself with his posters, magazines and advertisements and its up to that only...

"Hinowa!" She went out of her room because she was called by her elder sister. "Kasamatsu-kun's here!" That brought a smile to her face, Kasamatsu was her older brother like friend, they were neighbors for atleast 10 years. He has a somewhat violent tendency but very timid towards girls and she knows perfectly that her Matsu-nii likes her elder sister but can't ever tell her that.

"Oi, Hinowa!" He called and roughly pinched her cheek, he can do that to her but he will turn into mush if he ever thought of doing that to her elder sister, that would be embarassment overload on his part, she was a second year middle schooler, her sister and Matsu-nii are both first year high school students, though they go to different schools.

"You're a high schooler now, stop being a coward and tell nee-chan how you feel." Hinowa teased, and Kasamatsu's face was redder than a california tomato. "Joke!" That was her time to hit him hard on the back.

"You brat!" Kasamatsu roughly ruffled her hair and they started hitting each other.

Though inwardly, she could understand Kasamatsu, she, herself has no guts to even get one word based conversation with the, now she admits, love of her life and every girl's lives, Kise Ryouta.

Since there's no chance she decided to end this platonic relationship, after all the pain in her heart is caused by overvaluing an imaginary relationship with the person she likes. She decided to focus on her academics and extra curicullar activities, she tore off the posters in her room and planned to burn every magazine she bought that features him (Though she hid it because she can't really do that.)

She's not an excellent student but she was able to pass all of her subjects even if she was engrossed with, currently Kendo, that was already a major achievement for her. When third year came she decided to bury her feelings finally and asks her Matsu-nii some application forms because she will apply to Kaijo. She passed, Kasamatsu called her, rather vigorously.

It was their graduation ceremony, and she decided it'll be her last chance, like a ninja, she stealthily stalked Kise to ask for buttons, however, she was late, he was actually crying to his basketball mates, currently he's wearing torn clothing and he says he was raped by fan girls.

 _It's really impossible..._  she thought, sighed to herself and decided, she'll probably find love in high school...

* * *

**Part II**

**"** Matsu-nii! Stop that!" Kaede pulls his hand away from her head.

"You look like a girl now!" Kasamatsu teased, because she looks different with her hair usually long and black, turned into a bob cut one (with a perfect concavity and it reaches up to her chin) and she was wearing lip gloss. "You ate something greasy?"

"What?! of course, not!"

"I decided to do a little make over, but that's the limit of what she lets me do." Her sister came out and Kasamatsu suddenly became a beet root, Kaede adjusts her glasses and pushed Kasamatsu towards her sister and laughs at the two of them, she was hit on the head afterwards.

The school was amazing, and she's excited to join the Kendo club, seeing how the school was quite athletically inclined, she went to her class and then saw that her first one's chem lab, ohhhh...she loved experiments and all. Kaede sat on a blank seat near the window, its good she came exactly at the time before they started.

"Ok...since today's the first day...I have decided to give your lab partners and then you will have a partner introduction..." and then her teacher started announcing pairs and when he called Kaede, she swears she cleaned her ear right before class and she's sure she didn't take any drugs. "Miss Kaede, you're paired with Kise Ryouta...Is Mr. Kise here?"

She heard murmurs of her classmates blabbering how lucky she is and 'Kise-kun is hot, kyaa' she actually thought she heard someone casting a voodooo spell on her. Suddenly, the door slammed open revealing blonde hair and a panting, exhausted pretty face.

"Sorry sensei, I got lost." He said with an apologetic smile that made half of the female population in the room faint, Kaede would but she's too surprised for that. Her eyes trailed him as he walks to talk to the sensei, she didn't even notice that he was already directed to sit next to her, and the fact that he's her classmate, not to mention lab partner, where they would be required to atleast have scholarly conversations with each other.

 _What the hell? Now that I've already decided to start moving on, this happens...oh my God!_ Kaede stared blankly at her lab manual as she was piecing together what's happening...

"Hi! I'm Kise Ryouta, your lab partner and you are..." she glanced up and was surprised to see him in front of her with all smiles and well...with a very close distance that she can smell his nostalgic perfume, and be dazzled by his luminous appearance, lucky for her, his eyes were closed and her face, going to 100% red alert, wasn't noticed, She can't hold her embarassment that's why her fist suddenly clenched and when he opened his eyes, her fist made contact with his face making him stumble down. He was sitting on the ground, when Kaede realized what she just did, she instantly helped him up, fortunately for her, their teacher went out for a while... but the scene was exposed among all his fans and they were probably looking for a death note to write her name on it.

"Owww..." Kise said as he stood up, he glanced at his lab partner and she was standing at least a foot away from him.

"I'm sorry, I j-just have some claustrophobic issues...it's t-too close..." she gave out a smile, distance is a good thing for her now, they'll need to work hand in hand but at least her mind's diverted, but in simple times when they'll be forced to chat with each other to kill boredom, she'll have to be atleast one foot away from him.

"Ehhh?"

"You should stay at least one foot away from me, or else..." she lets out her Kendo sword that was concealed in a long black sheat. "You'll be pounded into submission." She said that with a poker smile, to hide her nervousness and embarassment, she needs to move on! Damn it , it'll take a new generation for him to even date her, so she'll have to get him out if her head. Three years of unrequited love's enough, she needs to think of herself now.

**Part III**

They say that exposing yourself with the allergen multiple times can remove hypersensitive reactions, the technique is called 'desensitization' and in Kaede Hinowa's mind, that could work, her long time unrequited love for Kise Ryouta can be demolished if she exposed herself to him.

Lucky for her, he followed the 'one foot' rule so she can converse nicely with him (she placed a ruler between them) and sometimes it makes her realize how stupid he is, especially in his arguments, anyways experiments are getting harder to do with distance so she tends to do all the work and mostly lets him watch and learn or sometimes she divides the work and do one on their own, so much for partnership.

Kise Ryouta's childish and a whiner, he tends to complain about her claustrophobia issue (which is nonexistant) and tells her to see a phobia expert, she'll just smile at him and brush him off. Sometimes he gets too talkative that she wants to smack him, ironically, she actually yearned for him to talk this much to her for a long time.

Kasamatsu told her that Kise's their basketball team's ace and he tells her how annoyed he is with the blonde, its a good thing for her that she didn't tell her Matsu-nii about her secret crush on Kise or else, hell will break loose, especially because of how he points out girl's weird fascination with the dumb boy, however Kasamatsu acknowledges Kise's talent and somehow when the third year describes Kise, she can't help but regain some of the lost feelings she had already dispelled.

"Neh...Matsu-nii, Nee-chan told me that a guy confessed to her." Kaede said and the basketball captain almost choked on his drink. "But she rejected the guy because she said she likes someone already..."

"R-really?" Kasamatsu slowly said, currently they were in the cafeteria, having some snacks.

"Yeah...you should ask her out now, Matsu-nii! You know I root for you."

"B-but your sister said she already like someone else, idiot!" Kasamatsu drinks again from his glass of juice.

"I think she likes you." Kaede smirked as Kasamatsu almost sputter his juice. "I have tickets to the movie she likes to watch, I'll tell her that you want me to give the other one to her."

"C-crazy! Don't even think of doing that!" He slammed his fist on the table.

"Too late, already bought the tickets." She smirked again waving the tickets on her hand. "Come on, you won't know if you don't even try." Kasamatsu suddenly grabbed the tickets from her, the action surprised her.

"I-I'll ask her out..." Kasamatsu looked away, his face was brilliantly red and Kaede found that really amusing about him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Part IIII**

It was the day after their practice match with Seirin when Kise saw Kaede as someone else. He was thinking about Kuroko's choice, words and his intentions and then he passed by a dojo. Kaijo seemed so high tech and modern so it surprised him to see a dojo , he decided to check just a little and since the place is a bit secluded, he could hide from his fans, seriously, sometimes he gets a headache with their constant following. He even changed number multiple times and he swears he has the feeling that a secret camera's implanted in his house.

Kise peaked and saw mostly men hitting each other with wooden sticks, they were wearing some hard shoulder pads, chest armor and a weird helmet. He leans on the entrance door frame and decided to watch for a while.

"Three points" a referee said and raised a mini flag. "Winner, Kaede." He announced and the winner removed the helmet, he was surprised to see his claustrophobic lab partner, Kaede Hinowa as she bows to her opponent and then to the referee before she excused herself and sat on a bench nearby.

 _Kaede? Kaede's into Kendo?_  He was about to move further but noticed a familiar flock of girls coming nearby. Kise stopped watching and decided to walk again, feeling novel as he discovered something, well...he knew she could be a player of that sport because she carries the wooden stick sometimes, but seeing her actual game surprised him, Kaede was good, he can tell.

* * *

"You're part of the Kendo team, Kaedechii~" Kise teased as he sits beside her.

"Ehhh? Kaedechii, that's disgusting! Remove that suffix." Kaede said.

"Also..why are you with Kasamatsu-senpai, Kaedecchi?" Kise asked because he saw them talking to each other at lunch time.

"Well..." she can't think of an answer, so as a scapegoat, she opened her lab manual and started writing some things.

"But Kaedechii..." Kise decided to sneak at what she's doing and then he moved closer, as in closer to peak at the lab manual. "You're doing the answer sheet already?"

"Yes, so that we could finish early later." She said as she answers, however she felt something slightly tug at her shoulder so she glanced at her side and saw Kise, again, breaking the one foot rule and was one cm close to her face, he was looking at the worksheet and humming as he checks on the answers. Heat rose to her face and she instantly hit him in the gut using her elbow pushing him away from her.

"Owww! Kaedechii, what's with that? Are you still claustrophobic of me? We've been partners for a month now." Kise rubbed the elbowed part and sat on his seat again.

"Just follow the rule and we'll be okay." She said, her eyes dead lock on the lab manual again. Her attitude confuses him sometimes, she's nice and cute but when he closes their distance a bit, she gets all edgy and hits him with anything that her hand can make out, sometimes her hits are worse than his captain's.

"You seem fine with Kasamatsu-senpai..." and she intensified her glare at him.  _Is Kasamatsu-senpai a sensitive topic for her?_

He decided to watch her practice during their break time, again, until it became a habit, of course, it was also beneficial for him because the dojo entrance seemed to be his hiding place, the only place he could go away from fans, from autographs and some stalkers. The Kendo club only have selected days of practice but she's always there.

One time when Kise was about to head to the dojo, he saw his captain, somehow on his way there too. Being a sneaky one, he decided to hide near a tree and spy on Kasamatsu. The third year stood in front of the entrance, Kaede came out after a while and Kasamatsu ruffled her hair making the girl annoyed at him.

 _Ehhh? Isn't cap too close to Kaedechii?_  Kise thought as the two people he's watching laugh at each other, he knows that his captain's not doing well with girls but he seems fine with his lab partner.

'So 5pm, Saturday in front of the town plaza?' Kaede said and Kise heard that.  _They're going on a date?_ He saw his captain stutter something inaudible for him while Kaede cackles at his reaction.

* * *

 

**Part V**

Kise was on his way home from a sports shop, the truth is, its really difficult and dangerous for him in public places right now, girls suddenly flock on him and ask for pictures and autographs, it's fine, really, but things just get delayed if he must stop to entertain them every once in a while. He ceased his stroll when he saw someone familiar to him, that someone is currently behind high grass, seemingly hiding and is peaking at something in front of her, he glanced at his watch and then remembered that ' **someone who's hiding** ' has a date at 5pm, if he heard correctly, that someone  _or rather she,_ stood up and dusted her pants but her eyes were still looking at the same spot.

Somehow, Kise got interested with her cerulean eyes, they have a hint of happiness on it but seemed quite sad, he wants to call her but Kaede might run away, so he decided to check on what she's looking and he was really surprised to see his captain talking with another girl, afterwards he went inside with her in the cinema. Kise was actually surprised and concerned for his classmate right now.

"Kise-kun?" He heard her call, she must have seen him staring in front as well. "W-what are you doing here?"

"I'm from a sports shop." He answered, somehow he took note of her teary eyes. "I just saw captain with another girl."

"Yeah, that's my sister." When he heard her answer, he wanted to comfort her.  _That's like the worst thing ever!_

"Kaedecchi?"

"I know they've liked each other for a long time but they're just too stupid not to admit it." He watched as she looked at the empty space in front of her.

"Can I ask you something, Kaedechii?" He wanted to ask a lot of things actually, like 'why do you always avoid me?' but figures he should encourage her right now.

"Yes?"

"If you have so much lingering feelings for someone, why don't you snatch him away? even if he's currently in love with a person close to you..." that's bad, he knows, but if you love someone, you should fight until the end, right? "A love where you can only look at the other person is really futile."

"Both person are important to me, right?" She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "If I have to break the happiness of the people I love, I'd rather hurt alone than do that."

Somehow Kise stood on his spot, surprised with her answer, he's adored by a lot of people but he's not sure if he have felt that way...if he have felt selflessly in love, he stares at the girl in front of him and a smile crept on his face then he walks up to her. "But that's too bad, what if he's the only one destined to have a relationship with you, Kaedecchi? Won't you be worried to be single for the rest of your life?" He teased and somehow that annoys the girl in front of him.

"Arrogant! Just because you're loved by a lot of girls!"

"Being loved and falling in love are two different things, right?" Kise grinned and then walked closer to her suddenly slinging an arm at her shoulder and said "The one you love is lucky, Kaedecchiii~" she looked up to him and he was staring down at her at the same time.

Somehow he felt there's something that happened with that staring contest, because he felt his heart race faster than usual however, Kaede suddenly kicked him in the shin and ran away bellowing 'Too close, Idiot!' and she disappeared from his sight but left him half in pain and half in amusement.

**Replay (Re-evaluation, Kaede-centric)**

Kaede glanced at her watch, she feels nervous, her plan must succeed this time, She watched Kasamatsu from across the town plaza near a tree and some tall bushes.  _He looks edgy, Haha._  Kaede thought as she watched the third year pace right and left, probably rehearsing his confession methods.

She checks her phone to see if her sister texted something, and she placed it back her pocket when she got nothing. Kaede smirked as she remembered her sister's reaction when Kasamatsu gave the tickets, both of their faces were like the glowing red light of a police car.

"Kasamatsu-kun." Kaede heard that familiar voice so she hid behind the tall grass. That was her sister, with a bright smile, running towards the guy, she watched as the two of them talk to each other and Kasamatsu getting all shy and fidgety.

 _"Good for you..."_ she sniffed, ever since they were little, she knew of this infatuation and she honestly wants to cry at this moment, and she did. Kaede wiped a tear off her eye.  _'Sis is so lucky to have someone like Matsu-nii...I wonder, when will I meet the right person for me? ...well...they say that in order to love someone, I should empty this heart of mine..._  she stood up and dusted her pants, her eyes still in front of her. However, when she looked at her left, she saw someone standing, eyes also fixated at the space previously occupied by the two lovebirds.

"Kise-kun?"  _Is God playing with me right now?_ "W-what are you doing here?"

"I'm from a sports shop." He looked surprised but he was staring at her. "I just saw captain with another girl."

"Yeah, that's my sister." She answered, she wonders how Kasamatsu will react if he knew that his annoying member saw him having first date blues.

"Kaedecchi?" She looked at him, feeling irritated with that nickname.

"I know they've liked each other for a long time but they're just too stupid not to admit it." She stared in front of the plaza again.

"Can I ask you something, Kaedechii?" Kaede glanced at him, somehow his voice sounded different, serious, not like his usual playful one.

"Yes?"

"If you have so much lingering feelings for someone, why don't you just snatch him away? even if he's currently in love with a person close to you..." his question surprised her, then his eyes changed from playful to domineering  _attractive_  ones. " A love where you can only look at the other person is really futile."

' _Is he talking about my feelings for him? Why put a logic like that though? Is he in love with a friend of mine...impossble, if he knew my feelings he wouldn't talk to me like this and he'll treat me like an annoying fan'_ she looked at him. "Both person are important to me, right?" She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "If I have to break the happiness of the people I love, I'd rather hurt alone, than do that." She said looking down at her feet.

"But that's too bad, what if he's the only one destined to have a relationship with you, Kaedecchi? Won't you be worried to be single for the rest of your life?" He said in a teasing tone.  _'Grrr! Where's the Kendo stick when you need it?!_

"Arrogant! Just because you're loved by a lot of girls!"

"Being loved and falling in love are two different things, right?" He answered with a smile that she thinks will be more powerful to use on her when she needs a defibrillator, it can make her heart beat again, that smile that sends shiver down to her spine, it was so amazing that she have to look away to hide her embarassment.

Kise grinned and then walked closer to her suddenly slinging an arm at her shoulder and said "The one you love is lucky, Kaedecchiii~" she looked up to him and he was staring down at her at the same time.

When their eyes met, it was like she was shot in the heart and everything around her stopped. Isn't this what she was yearning for? Isn't his attention the one she longs for? Isn't his heart the one she wanted to capture? Having this thoughts was huting her because it makes her hopes high and she knows what she wished for... will never come true.

Kaede kicked him in the shin "You're too close, Idiot!" When he was forced to let go, she stormed off, she looked back and saw him still looking at her, with a smile. Her hand crept up to her chest.  _'Please...Stop, Just stop.'_


	3. Chapter 3

**Part VI**

"Kaedecchi~ that chem test is horrible!" Kise said as he rests his head on the table.

"Yeah...I admit, its difficult." Kaede answered as she leans her chin on the palm of her hand, Kise was watching her and then suddenly he poked her in the cheek causing the girl's head to fall off her arm. "What the - "

"Neh, Kaedecchi, Why don't you ban that stupid rule?" Kise asked.

"Because I have claustrophobia."

"No, you don't. You seem fine with Captain."

"Because as I said, I know Matsu-nii since childhood." The teacher came inside the classroom and gave a few announcements before she dismissed them. Kaede stood up and fixed her materials, putting them inside her bag.

"Kaedecchi, let's have lunch together." Kise suggested, his head still resting on the table but his eyes were staring at her.

"I don't eat at the cafeteria because its always crowded and I'm claustrophobic." She emphasized the word 'claustrophobic' and then slings her bag on her shoulder and started to walk ahead of him.

"Wait Kaedecchi!" When Kise stood up, he was immediately ganged up by a group of girls and Kaede left.

_'No way in hell, Kise...Not this time.'_

* * *

_'The one you love is lucky, Kaedecchi~'_ Damn that last phrase kept ringing on her head. Kaede was annoyed, exasperated and desperate and this three feelings caused her to crash her wooden sword on the training bag, and she was yelling loudly, anyone can see that she's not the type you want to start a fight with.

_'Kise!'_ She kept on repeating that mantra inside her head while she mercilessly hit the training bag, but she was good, everyone stopped and watched her hit her target with vigor and accuracy.

"Kaede-san." She stopped when she heard her name called, she glanced at her caller with her eyes still on fire, however she lay lowed when she saw the guy flinch. "Aahhh... sorry, have I disturbed you?"

"No Mitsuo-senpai, I'm sorry...I got caught up in a moment, is there something you want me to do?" Kaede removed her glasses and wiped it before wearing it again. This Mitsuo is a regular member and is one of the five players in Kendo competitions.

"I'm just happy to see you practice...As you can see, there're only few female members in Kendo club and you have the skill and caliber of a first player."

"Thank you...I do play Kendo since Middle school."

"That's amazing." Kaede was surprised when Mitsuo tapped her in the shoulder. "Continue your hardwork." before passing by her. Kaede was rooted on her spot, somehow that simple gesture made her heart beat quicker, like the guy just woke something inside of her.

**Part VII**

"Kaedecchi?" Kise stared at his lab partner, as of now, her head is supported by the palm of her hand and she was staring into space. "Kaedecchi? Oi...Are you ignoring me?"

The truth is her mind is anywhere right now except in the lab.  _'Maybe I can move on if I started to see other people...Mitsuo-senpai's not bad anyway.'_

"Okay, that's all for today, you can submit your manuals at my desk at exactly 1400, alright?" Their teacher said before she exited the room, Kaede brushed her thought for a while and started skimming her lab manual searching for some blanks, she felt relief when she sees to it that she finished her reports.

"Kaedecchi." She's still annoyed with that childish nickname, she sighed and gazed at her lab partner. "Heh." He flashed her his brightest smile, and it jabbed her in the heart, she instantly looked away.

"What do you want?"

"Can I copy your lab manual? We just have the same results on the experiment anyway...neh, Kaedecchi?" She, irritated, glanced at him and he's still with his dashing smile that made imaginary flowers bloom on her mind, she slammed her lab manual on his face. "Owww! That hurts, Kaedecchi!"

"Give it back to me before 2pm in front of the faculty room." She said before she picked up her bag and stormed out of the room.  _'Sometimes, I doubt the reason why I fell in love with this moron...'_

Around 1:55, Kaede was already in front of the faculty room, arms crossed, eyes shut, feet taps frantically on the floor and right now, she feels half annoyed and half nervous as she watched her classmates come and go, bringing their seat works to their chem teacher and yet, she can't spot a certain blonde.

Four minutes later Kise came and Kaede snatched both manuals from him before she dashed inside the faculty room, she succeeded in submitting exactly at 1400,  _whew..._  She went out of the faculty room and an apologetic Kise was waiting for her outside, as soon as he sees her he paced towards her.

"Kaedecchi! I'm sorry, I alm - " he was cut off as he felt something thin hit him in the gut, he looked down and saw a ruler, Kaede was holding the ruler.

"One foot rule." She said, knowing Kise's flamboyant attitude, he might get too close to her.

"Oww...Even here." Kise asked as he rubbed the beaten part. Kaede nods before she started walking away from the faculty, Kise followed while maintaining the 'one foot rule' between them. They were on their way back to the classroom when they came across two chatting girls, Kaede noticed their stares at Kise so she made slow sidesteps to increase their distance and to avoid confusion among other people.

"Oh!" However when they were adjacent two them, one of the girls dropped her handkerchief.

Kise continued walking, as if he didn't see the falling handkerchief while Kaede watched as the crestfallen girl look at the handkerchief. "How rude." Kaede said and stopped walking, making the blonde model stop too.

"What?" He asked, surprised by her abrupt stop, he looked inquisitively at her, while Kaede rolled her eyes and walked up to the girl. She picked up the girl's handkerchief and gave it back to her, the girl looked sadly at Kaede and muttered a low 'thanks' before she walked with the other girl with her.

Kaede watched the two of them disappear before turning around to proceed on her classroom, when she did turn around Kise was standing behind her, a look of curiosity marring his face. "What was that? Can't she pick her handkerchief?"

"You have no idea about this, don't you?" Kaede asked and Kise raised a brow at her statement, she sighed and continued to stroll. "Sometimes, girls do some stuffs, you know? Like, drop a hanky, a notebook or anything, then the guy will pick it up for her...Its a way to get someone's attention, its a way to start a communication." she reminisces the time she did that but her handkerchief got trampled by a dozen of Kise fans.

"Eh? Really?"

"You really are clueless." Kaede said. "Well, of course you are, you never needed to get anyone's attention...they're easily yours anyway..."

"Kaedecchi..." Kise pouted, he's not sure if he should take that as a compliment or something negative.

"But I understand her feelings completely...wanting someone you like to notice you." She said with a smile before they entered their classroom.

**Part VIII**

"You're really amazing." Kaede looked up and saw Mitsuo-senpai. "I heard the match for regularization is near, you could apply."

"Eh? Regularization? That means I'll be entering matches?"

"Yes." Mitsuo replied. "You'll choose a regular to challenge for his position."

"That's cool." Kaede said.

"Yeah...you're cool too." He said making the girl blush.  _He called me cool! "_ I'm sure you'll get in easily."

The next day the two of them had training together, sometimes they chatted more often than their other teammates, and Kaede thinks she's probably liking this upperclassman of hers, they even walk home together, occasionally, he even asked for her number and e-mailed her most of the time. She was pondering, how uncomplicated things are going between the two of them... then she remembers some quote from the television 'Love that you ventured after a failed one is termed a ' _rebound_ '. Somehow its unfair, but the feeling's also strong that it helps alleviate the pain you had previously.

"Oi Hinowa." Kaede glanced behind and saw her Matsu-nii approaching. "What's with you and that guy?" The two of them were in front of the cafeteria and he was specifically pointing towards Mitsuo.

"What? Nothing." She shrugged. "So we're gonna be siblings now! 'Cuz you're officially dating nee-chan~"

"D-D-don't change the topic!" Kasamatsu stuttered. "Anyway, that guy's not really someone you should hang out with."

"Why? I think Mitsuo-senpai's nice." Kaede answered and Kasamtsu pinched her cheek. Rough as usual. " Owww! Let go, Matsu-nii!" She tries to swat his hand away.

Kise was walking in the hallway followed by his fan club, he was laughing with all of the girls but somehow the scene in front of him, ceased him from walking. He stared at Kaede and his captain, the girl wears a pained expression while rubbing her cheek while the latter was scolding her nonstop. He shrugged, this is the type of relationship his lab partner likes, so that's her choice.

* * *

In Chemistry, they were having some effervescence experiment and they were using Carbonic acid, she was busy checking for bubbles when suddenly Kise's mixture in the beaker, bubbled up and overflowed in the place.

"Kaedecchi, look its - "

"Move aside, Kise." Kaede said checking for his beaker to find out what caused the over bubbling, unconsciously, she herself broke the 'one foot rule', she pushed him slightly to go on his place, lifted the beaker and saw a mint candy in it. "You placed a candy here, Kise...that started the reaction." Kaede gazed at his partner and she saw him smirking.

"Aren't you too close, Kaedecchi?" Kise remarked, grinning like an idiot and he was telling the truth since she noticed her shoulder's almost touching his arm.  _'He's right...'_ she thought, usually if this happens, she'll be super self conscious and well...violent, but she seems alright now.  _'Is it really because of that rebound thing?'_

"Well, I need to check this, that's why." She answered, turning her back to him again. Using forceps, she removed the candy and placed new Carbonic acid mixture in it. "You should let the liquid convert into gas itself...well get an 'F' if you fail with a simple task like that."

"Well, I was doing an experiment of my own, Kaddecchi! And now, I'm banning that rule." Kise said proudly as he takes the beaker from her and swirls it.

"I made that rule, so I'm the only one who can repel it." She moved away from him, placing a ruler between them again.

"But Kaedecchi! You're not claustrophobic of me now, right?"

"Yeah." She answered flatly. "I suppose."

"Geez...How about we cut the space into half? Like I can't be near you within half a foot range."

"..."

"Come on Kaedecchi, life's easier that way."

"Well...OK, we can amend that to 'Half foot rule', doing experiments will be easier, I guess. " Kaede said and she was surprised when Kise gets the ruler and then broke it into half, he places back the half between them. "Just...what did you do?!"

"Break the ruler?"

"Why did you do that?! That's our ruler in chem class!"

"Ehhh? B-but I thought it's yours Kaedecchi!" Kaede hits his head with the other half of the ruler and told him to buy a new one.

* * *

"Kaede-san...the regularization match is next week, have you chose a regular to challenge?" Mitsuo handed a bottled mineral water to Kaede, she was polishing her kendo sword and was sitting on the mat when he approached her.

"Not yet, Mitsuo-senpai, I don't think I'm ready yet."

"Nonsense...you're awesome." He smiled at her and she felt her heart jump out of her chest for a moment. "Uhhh, yeah...I before I forget, I'm going to ask you something."

"Yes?"

"Are you free this weekend?"

"W-weekend?!" She almost dropped her glasses when she heard him say that.

"Yeah, weekend...uhhh let's try that newly opened Yakinuku shop near the plaza."

_He asked me out!_ "Sure...I don't have anything else to do." Though she replied that nonchalantly, Inwardly, she's melting, haha.

Starting that day, Kaede's floating, she was smiling all the time, even Kise's not oblivious with this sudden change in her, he doesn't mind about that anyway and he thinks its fine. It was a first for her, because she was focused with her infatuation with Kise, she never felt something like this, being 'liked' that is.

However, it seems that nothing lasts forever. At least for her, that is...

Kaede was walking in the corridors, she was from the faculty room as she submitted her application for the regularization match. While strolling, she saw Mitsuo and some of his classmates talking, they were behind a staircase, she was planning to greet him nonetheless...

"You had a cute member in the Kendo club." One of the senpais said. "The chick with the glasses."

"Oh you meant Kaede? Yeah, she's pretty and she's good with the sport too, I mean really good, like national level good." Mitsuo said, somehow Kaede smiled, he thinks highly of her. "She's probably better than I am."

"So you think she can kick out that Yuuya guy?" One guy said. She remembers her senpai who was labelled as the saviour of the team, he was the regular that's always designated as the last player because he was dependable enough to win the game on his own, Yuuya-senpai, he was also known to be very, very strict.

"I hope so...that's the reason I asked her out, I'll convince her to challenge Yuuya, that's like hitting two birds with one stone, my place's secured, so long as she doesn't challenge me..."

"You asked her? Aren't you dating that pretty girl from 3-C?"

"Yeah...who says I'm dating her? I just need her for that." Kaede's breath hitched, her back rested on the wall, she wanted to break down but she could be discovered so she immediately changed route so as to avoid them. She should've known its impossible, everything seemed hasty and easy.

She went back to their classroom feeling betrayed, its like the world's crumbling and everything's breaking... so much for expecting, so much for trying to fall in love and moving on. She sat on her chair contemplating why she let herself fall that way, was it because she's desperate to erase Kise off her mind.

"Kaedecchi?" Kise called her, seeing how distracted she was, but she didn't heed to him, her eyes lack luster and was staring into space. He stood up and walked up to her. "Kaedecchi?" His hand was about to tap her shoulder but she thumps it away from her.

"Don't..." she just said, not bothering to glance at him. Kise sighed and returned to his seat, she might be experiencing something.

After class, Kaede didn't move from her seat even if her classmates went out already, she was staring out the window. She plucks her phone from her pocket and decided to e-mail Mitsuo-senpai that she can't come, she grasped her phone tightly and a tear fall from her eye, though she immediately wiped it not wanting to bear any mark of weakness in her face. Of course, she's not that good anyway, there's always someone better than her, there will always be someone ahead of her, just the thought makes her heart ache.

She still did well in practice and she pretended to be clueless in front if Mitsuo, but the fact that she knew what he's up to and he pretends in front of her, that's just too much to bear. She immediately went out of the Dojo as soon as their practice ends.

"Ooops...I dropped it." She was taken by surprise. Kise was beside her and seemingly his notebook fell. "Ahhh, it fell." He said, not showing a hint of picking it up.

"Yeah, your notebook fell." She answered back, not in the mood for a conversation with him.

"Tch. How rude." He pouted and Kaede looked up to him.

"Why is that rude? You dropped it."

"And I thought you said people do this to have someone's attention." Kise smiled, Kaede was astonished with his reply. "I want someone's attention, right now."

_'Well at least that made her smile'_  Kise thought as the girl in front of her timidly smiled, she picked up the notebook and gave it to him.

"I said girls do that." She said as he gets the notebook. "I hope you got that someone's attention." She walks ahead again, but he followed.

"Are you taking the train home, Kaedecchi?" Kise asked as he runs to catch up with her. "Let's go home together?"

"No need." She replied but she did took the train ride with him, He was standing beside her and she was sitting.

"Kaedecchi?" Kise said but the girl didn't look up, she bit her lip and decided to release her frustration at home but her tears are annoying, she should've listened to her Matsu-nii. "Don't hold it in, Kaedecchi." She was surprised to hear him say that.

"W-what are you talking about?"

"I don't know what happened but I know you're hurt, you've been ecstatic some days ago and then you suddenly became gloomy, so I figured..."

"I'm that readable." She smiled, but she removed her glasses and Kise saw drops of tears falling from her eyes, he looked around and sees people looking at her, so like what a gentleman will do, he moved from his position and stood up in front of her, shielding her from unwanted spectators. She was surprised to see him standing there.

"Don't worry, Kaedecchi...I maintained the half foot rule." She was sure that he's smiling, but she didn't want to look up and expose her tear stricken face to him, she continued to cry though.

_'This should be embarassing... but somehow I don't care, I just need to let this go.'_ Now she knows why she did like this guy, unfortunately for her...moving on from Kise will be a lot more harder now.

"Hey..." She looked up before she goes out of the train. "You're right...Let's ban the half foot rule."

Kise smiled at her. "Really, Kaedecchi!?" She nods but gets irritated again with his pestering.

* * *

"So who are you challenging for regularization?" Yuuya asked Kaede.

"Mitsuo-senpai." She said and bowed before she looked, discerningly, at that certain senpai who was surprised with her decision. "I challenge him for regular position."

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: this is posted on another site and well, its my first time here haha. :)


End file.
